Human Rights

and

Collective Action

Training Programme

Developed by: Amnesty International Irish Section

Ballymun Community Law Centre

CAN (Community Action Network)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the

only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

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“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be

seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighbourhood he lives in; the school or

college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works.

Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without

discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to

uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”

Eleanor Roosevelt, Human Rights Activist, former US First Lady

Human Rights Activism Starts with You

Outlined in this booklet are just a few very basic tools of grassroots organising. They are meant to be guides and meant to help you in developing your skills as human rights activists. There is a wealth of materials available on the web, in your local library and from Amnesty International that can give you more details and information. But at the end of the day it is your personal experience, commitment, open heart and open mind that will determine your success as an activist.

It is from the basis of our own personal experiences that we navigate the world, determine our own direction and decide what we do with our lives. Some of you will feel that you have no choice but to take action immediately and raise your voice. Others will come to the realisation later, seeing that it is only by getting more deeply involved that you can create the world you imagine. Either way, it is critical for you to understand that your voice does matter. It has only ever been through the collective action of people all across the world that Amnesty has made an impact and made the world a better place. Raised collectively our individual voices are a mighty roar for

justice.

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“We must become the change we wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Ghandi, Leader, Journalist, Teacher, Crusader

Direct Action In the context of social change there are 2 very specific though somewhat different definitions of direct action. Def. Direct Action Organising: the people for whom the issue is most relevant are the people who decide the change necessary as well as the means and process for achieving that change. Direct Action Organising is about groups of people coming together because a particular issue affects them all. For example, a neighbourhood where massive new development is being planned by city authorities might come together to devise a strategy for addressing the proposed development and its impact on their lives and that of the community in a way that takes the community’s views into account. Def. Direct Action: is a tactic, a form of political activism that seeks immediate remedy for perceived ills. Direct Action as a tactic can be many things, including sit-ins, street demonstrations or strikes. Non-violent direct action was the primary form of protest used by Ghandi in India as well as Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement in the United States. “Non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to

negotiate is forced to confront the issue. Its seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.”

Martin Luther King, Letter from Birmingham Jail 1963

There are more aggressive forms of direct action as well, that include activities like revolutionary or guerrilla warfare, destruction of property, occupations of property, vandalism or graffiti. For the purposes of issue–specific campaigning, in particular, Amnesty’s campaigning work on human rights, the first definition, Direct Action Organising is used.

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“The organizer's job is to help ordinary people do extraordinary things.”

Cesar Chavez, Founder, United Farmer Workers

The 3 Principles of Direct Action Organising

• Win real improvement in people’s lives • Make people aware of their own power • Alter the relations of power by:

o Building strong organisations o Changing laws and regulations o Electing your people to office

Direct Action organising is aimed at securing wins for large numbers of people, like better health care for inner city communities or an end to dumping in a rural village. But one of the keys to good direct action organising is breaking the long-term or bigger goal down into smaller, short-term attainable goals called issues. Direct Action organising’s strength lies in the existing power among the community of interest. Organising is about mobilising that existing power and finding ways to increase it. It’s also about building the confidence of the community in question and empowering them to take action on their own behalf. Confidence and empowerment are the building blocks needed in altering the relations of power. Where accountability to the community does not exist than by organising itself and holding the decision makers to account for their actions, the community is flipping the power dynamic on its head.

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The Human-Rights-Based Approach and Community Development HRBA and community development are essentially aimed at achieving the same results; that is the creation of societies where all human beings enjoy all the rights as enshrined in the UDHR and in which they have full and free participation. The community development ethos has been developed over the years by community-based activists while the human-rights-based approach has been developed by activists working on the international level. There are obvious cross overs between the two but also specific attributes of each which means that combining the two approaches can be added strength to a campaign.

What is Community Development? The long-term process whereby people work together to identify their needs, create change, exert more influence in the decisions which affect their lives and work to improve the quality of their lives, the communities in which they live, and the society of which they are part. Key Principles of Community Development

• Participation • Empowerment • Equality and Equity • Task and Process • Collective Action

What is the Human-Rights-Based-Approach?

A human rights based approach (HRBA) means having an informed awareness of human rights law and issues, and incorporating it into, policies, planning and programming. The result is that individuals, communities and organisations are enabled to effectively demand improvements in how basic human rights are upheld. Additionally, organisations tasked with the responsibility to respect, protect and fulfill human rights are better able to do so. Core Elements of a Human-Rights-Based-Approach

• Expressly applying the human rights framework • Empowerment • Participation • Non-discrimination and prioritisation of vulnerable groups • Accountability

What is Collective Action?

People or a community of interest coming together around a common issue or problem to determine the solution or change and how that change should be carried out.

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Useful definitions

Convention A set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted social norms, standards or criteria.

Treaty An agreement under international law. Covenant

A solemn promise – to do or not to do – something specified. A one-way agreement. Something a state, country or government agrees to uphold or prevent. Indivisibility of human rights

The principle that human rights are interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing. “The right to vote cannot be fully enjoyed in the absence of the right to food, housing or health.” Universal Applying to all. “All human beings are entitled to all human rights by virtue of being human.”

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Check list for Choosing and Issue A good issue is one that matches most, but not necessarily all of these

criteria. Use this checklist to compare issues, or develop your own criteria and chart relevant to your organisation. The important point is that

thought is applied to deciding what issues you work on before leaping into the work.

What will the issue accomplish?

© Midwest Academy, Chicago IL USA

Will the Issue? Yes No

Result in a real improvement in people’s lives?

Give people a sense of their own power?

Alter the relations of power?

Be worthwhile?

Be winnable?

Be widely felt?

Be easy to understand?

Have a clear target?

Have a clear time frame that works for you?

Be non-divisive?

Build Leadership?

Set your organisation up for the next campaign?

Have a pocketbook angle?

Raise money?

Be consistent with your values and vision?

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Issue-Specific Campaigns Strategy

The Midwest Academy Strategy Chart was devised by grassroots activists who have been working for social change for more than 30 years. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in the United States the Midwest Academy has trained thousands of human rights, community and social change activists all over the US. The MWA Strategy Chart is the culmination of all that experience. The Strategy Chart is quite straightforward in its application. You begin with the left hand column, answering all the questions in that column and filling in as much detail as you have before moving on to the next column. The idea behind the strategy chart is to get activists to ask the key questions before they embark on their campaign. It is also designed so that activists can see what they have in the way of resources and support as well as what opposition they face. The Strategy Chart adapted for Human Rights

We have adapted the MWA strategy to incorporate the human-rights-based approach and community development ethos. But remaining as the underlying strength and aim of the strategy chart is the idea of collective action. A few pointers about the strategy chart:

• It is not designed to be used in the context of an electoral campaign.

• Moving left to right, only moving on to the next column once you have fully completed your immediate column will help you in developing your campaign in an effective and organised manner.

• Human nature dictates that there will be internal problems in every organisation, campaign team or community. Personality conflicts and differences of opinion cannot be avoided but can be dealt with. Recognising that this is part of life will help you cope better with it when it happens.

• Knowing your opponents is as critical to knowing your allies. • Targets are ALWAYS individuals. The Department of Justice does

not make a decision, the Minister for Justice or an individual civil servant, DO make the decision. Know who that individual is.

• Tactics are the good bit, the fun, the demos and the street actions but unless you have done all the other work on the building your strategy and unless you are crystal clear on -- what your message is, the target of your action, the power you have to pull it together and how it will further your campaign over all there is no point.

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Tactics Tactics include everything from pickets to protests, street marches, petition signings, street theatre, murals, art exhibitions, gigs, dinner dances, lobbying of politicians, trade union strikes, festivals, film nights and any thing else you can think of to draw attention to your issue. Publicly conducted street actions generally have one of 3 purposes:

1. Raise awareness about your issue and engage the public on it 2. Send a message to the person with the power to take a decision on

your issue 3. Raise money for your campaign or issue

Sometimes an action can accomplish all 3 but most times they do not. You should not try to accomplish all 3 with every action or tactic you organise as it may undermine your overall effort. Broad Considerations for Tactics Tactics must be:

• In context • Flexible and creative • Directed at a specific target • Make sense to your membership and the public • Be backed up by a specific form of power

Tabling The most straightforward and often easiest public tactic to organise is tabling for petitions or letter marathons. The materials needed are minimal and you can usually get a friends and family to volunteer a couple of hours to cover a shift. Considerations

• Location of table: will there be steady foot traffic, do you need permission to set up in that area, is the weather likely to cooperate?

• Have you organised the petitions and copies of letters for people to sign?

• Do you have a table? Pens, clip boards • Do you have a banner that clearly identifies who you are and what

the issue is that you are collecting signatures for? • Do you have a leaflet that explains the issue and the reason for the

petition / letter? • Do you have membership forms for your organisation? • Do you have enough people to cover several hours? And have they

been briefed on the case that you are petitioning on?

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Street Theatre Street theatre needs more advance planning than tabling but can be done to enormous effect if done well. One example of Street theatre is a silent march in costume. Amnesty Irish Section conducted a silent march of 30 people dressed in Guantanamo Bay Prison jumpsuits. They were escorted by other Amnesty members dressed as US military personnel. The march started at the Amnesty offices and went along Westmoreland Street to O’Connell Street, the main street through the centre of town, at lunchtime. The march was scheduled for the day before President Bush was due to arrive in Ireland. The aim of the march was to get into the newspapers for the next day, sending a message to President Bush about what the people of Ireland felt about US policies in the “war on terror.” It worked. The papers published pictures and the US government representatives saw them.

You do not need huge numbers of people to carry off effective street theatre but it does need to be planned, choreographed and staged. (based on where you will be holding it) Having someone in your group who does theatre work, even amateur theatre, will help in designing and carrying out your street theatre piece. Street theatre can be much more than just a silent march, including outdoor gigs with musicians singing protest songs or poetry readings, short plays or mime. Augusto Boal is one of the leading proponents of street theatre. His methods are often referred to as “Theatre of the Oppressed.” Books about his work are included in the reading list. Marches/ Demonstrations / Protests

Marches and demonstrations are a more common type of tactic but to be done well, to have an impact or get the notice you are aiming for they need to be done well. This often requires large numbers of people but to draw large numbers of people you will have to choose the timing well and pray for good weather. In recent years the Irish Section has organised a number of street marches on different issues and every year we do some sort of march or street action as part of our Annual Conference. In March 2005, to close a 5-day festival celebrating International Women’s Day we held a street march that stepped off at 6pm and marched from Temple Bar to the Irish parliament, Dail Eireann. More than 700 people participated in that march at the end of which a number of speeches were made. The march was held in the dark so participants were given candles as well as other props to carry. The street was closed to car traffic by the Gards (police) as arrangements had been made in advance. At Dial Eireann while speeches were being made, a giant

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graphic of our Stop Violence Against Women campaign logo was being flashed onto government buildings. All in all this march was very effective in terms of raising awareness about Amnesty’s work on the SVAW Campaign. It brought together our many partners on the issue, sent a message to government, and it attracted a lot of media attention. But the street march as well as the 5-day festival required an enormous amount of work. There was a team working full-time on the whole project for 3-months. In the run up to it the street march required several days of ring-arounds to ensure there were good crowds plus we had International Women’s Day in our favour. There had not been a big march marking the day in quite a few years so the women’s movement was very interested and supportive. Considerations for Street Marches or Demonstrations

Police cooperation: It is usually the traffic detail that needs to be notified of any marches that will be in the streets. The police prefer, for safety reasons that marches go with traffic. You will need to supply the police with the route, estimated numbers, general reason for the march and if people will be gathering at the end of the march for speeches. Slogans: if marchers are to be chanting slogans you want to decide those in advance. Having a few short slogans that can be periodically changed works well but you need to make sure they clearly convey your message. Props/ Banners /Posters: you need to make sure that these also clearly convey your message. People passing need to be able to read a moving placard and understand what it is all about. Colourful materials, waving flags, dancing candles all work to attract attention and actually make the march look bigger. Stewards: it is important that you have volunteer stewards designated to help organise and line-up people at the start, hand out props and placards, keep the march together on route, lead the march on the designated route and collect props at the end. For some reason street marches have a tendency to break up with slower groups becoming separated. It is an important part of the stewards’ job to ensure that the front of the march does not move too quickly and leave people behind. Demonstrations are slightly easier to organise in that they are usually located in one place for a set amount of time. For instance outside City Hall for 30 minutes when the City Council is about to meet. But the above considerations would largely apply to demonstrations as well as street marches.

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Street Demonstration Check List Yes No

Set a date and time? Have you allowed time for preparation?

Publicity and advertising: have you contacted the media? Have you put out notices in: ebulletins, websites, community newspapers and radio stations.

Have you done leafleting and postering in places where you will have a likely draw? Universities, schools, community centres, coffee houses.

Have you contacted all like-minded organisations and gotten their commitment to participate?; including doing ring-arounds, gathering people to travel together, arranging lifts etc.

Have you designated and publicised the route? Have you alerted the Gardai/police? Giving them the date, time, route (if a march), anticipated numbers, contact person and mobile

Messaging: What is the aim of the demo? Is it clearly understandable in 1 or 2 lines on banners and posters?

What are the visuals or creatives you can use around the issues?

Make sure the visuals work for the time of day (candle lit vigils do not work during the day)

Who is the target of your demo? What are you trying to achieve? Can the target deliver?

Will your target accept a letter outlining demands as part of the demo? (to be determined in advance with the letter prepared for handover)

Does the location of your demo connect with the target of the demo?

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Is your organisation a rights-based organisation? Adopted from Promoting Rights-Based Approaches, Save the Children

1. Does your organisation’s workforce reflect the diversity of society according to gender, age, disability, ethnicity and religion?

2. Is your office accessible for people with disabilities? 3. Does your organisation discriminate or exclude some people? Which

people? 4. Do all staff and volunteers have a basic understanding of the

principles and standards of human rights? Are they committed to these standards?

5. How participatory are the decision-making processes in your organisation? Who makes key decisions? How are these decisions made?

6. Do you have service-users/ clients or do you represent a particular group? How do they participate in the organisation? ..its decision making processes? Are they involved in decision-making processes?

7. How easy is it for information to travel through the hierarchal / management structures of your organisation? Up the hierarchy and down?

8. Are there any organisational procedures which hold back or block participatory approaches to the work of the organisation?

9. To whom is your organisation accountable? How is your organisation held accountable?

10. To whom are you, as a staff member, accountable? How are you held accountable? 11. How and where do you feel empowered in your job? 12. Who should be empowered? To do what?

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INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES TO WHICH IRELAND IS A PARTY United Nations

• Charter of the United Nations, 1945 • Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1989 • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

1989 • Convention on the Rights of the Child 1992 • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against Women 1985 • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination 2000 • Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide 1976 • Convention relating to the Status of Refugees 1956 • Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and

Degrading Treatment or Punishment 2002 • Geneva Conventions on Humanitarian Law 1949 and 1977

• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 2000

Council of Europe

• Statute of the Council of Europe 1949 • European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and

Fundamental Freedoms 1949 • European Social Charter 1949 • European Social Charter (revised) 2001 • European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1989 • Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

1999 • European Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights 1996

ILO Ireland has ratified 73 of the 180 ILO Conventions, including the 8 fundamental Conventions. Forced Labour Convention, 1930, Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957, Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948, Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949, Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951, Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958, Minimum Age Convention, 1973, Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999.

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European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU declared 8th Dec 2000 Amsterdam Treaty: Commitment to incorporate the Charter, establish an EU Human Rights Agency and the future accession of the EU to the to ECHR Irish legislation The Equal Status Act 2000 Human Rights Commission Act 2001 European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 Future Charter of Rights for the Island of Ireland

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In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) a common standard of achievement for all people of all nations. To that end, every member of society must keep this declaration constantly in mind and strive by teaching and education to promote respect for all these rights and freedoms.

In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United nations has stated in clear an simple terms the rights that belong equally to every person. These rights belong to you. Familiarise yourself with them. Help to promote and defend them.

1. Right to equality. 2. Freedom from discrimination. 3. Right to life, liberty, personal

security. 4. Freedom from slavery. 5. Freedom from torture and

degrading treatment. 6. Right to recognition as a person

before the law. 7. Right to equality before the law. 8. Right to remedy by competent

tribunal. 9. Freedom from arbitrary arrest

or exile. 10. Right to a fair public hearing. 11. Right to be considered innocent

until proven guilty. 12. Freedom from interference with

privacy, family, home and correspondence.

13. Right to free movement in and out of any country.

14. Right to asylum in other countries from persecution.

15. Right to a nationality and freedom to change it.

16. Right to marriage and family. 17. Right to own property. 18. Freedom of belief and religion. 19. Freedom of opinion and

information. 20. Right of peaceful assembly and

association. 21. Right to participate in

government and in free elections.

22. Right to social security. 23. Right to desirable work and to

join trade unions. 24. Right to rest and leisure. 25. Right to adequate living

standards. 26. Right to education. 27. Right to participate in cultural

life and community. 28. Right to social order assuring

human rights. 29. Community duties essential to

free and full development. 30. Freedom from state and

personal interference in the above rights.

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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Ratified by Ireland: 1989

Right to:

• Self determination • Freely determine political status • Freely pursue economic, social and cultural development • Life • Freedom from torture • Freedom from slavery • Freedom from forced servitude • Freedom from forced labor • Equal treatment before the courts and law • Life, liberty, security of person • Innocent until proven guilty • Freedom of movement • Vote • Access to public services • Marriage • Freedom from forced marriage • Freedom of association and to join trade unions • Peaceful assembly • Your opinion • Freedom of thought, conscience, religion • Freedom from arbitrary arrest

Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Ratified by Ireland: 1989

Right to:

• Favourable work conditions including fair wages and equal pay for equal work

• Adequate standard of living: food, clothing, housing and continuous improvement of living conditions

• Safe and healthy work conditions • Equal opportunity • Rest, leisure, holidays with pay • Join or form trade unions • Social security / social insurance • Protection of the family • Maternity leave / protection of pregnant women • Highest attainable standard of physical and mental health • Education including free primary • Take part in cultural life

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Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Ratified by Ireland: 1985

States commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including:

• to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;

• to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and

• to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.

The Convention provides the basis for realizing equality between women and men through ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life -- including the right to vote and to stand for election -- as well as education, health and employment.

Convention Against Torture and other cruel, inhuman and

degrading treatment or punishment Ratified by Ireland: 2002

Torture: any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.

• No State Party shall expel, return ("refouler") or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.

• Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law.

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Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Ratified by Ireland: 2000

Racial Discrimination: shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. Countries signed up to the convention will: condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races. Each country:

• undertakes to engage in no act or practice of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions and to en sure that all public authorities and public institutions, national and local, shall act in conformity with this obligation;

• undertakes not to sponsor, defend or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations;

• shall take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial discrimination wherever it exists;

• shall prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organization;

• undertakes to encourage, where appropriate, integrationist multiracial organizations and movements and other means of eliminating barriers between races, and to discourage anything which tends to strengthen racial division.

• will take special and concrete measures to ensure the adequate development and protection of certain racial groups or individuals belonging to them, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These measures shall in no case entail as a con sequence the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved.

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Convention on the Rights of the Child Ratified by Ireland: 1992

All Children, from birth to 18 years, have: The right to life; The right to a name and nationality; The right to be with their parents or with those who will care for them best; The right to have ideas and say what they think; The right to practice their religion; The right to meet with other children; The right to get information they need; The right to special care, education, and training, if needed; The right to health care; The right to enough food and clean water; The right to free education; The right to play; The right to speak their own language; The right to learn about and enjoy their own culture; The right not to be used as a cheap worker; The right not to be hurt or neglected; The right not to be used as a soldier in wars; The right to be protected from danger; The right to know about their rights and responsibilities.

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Human Rights and Community Development Timeline When? Where? Who and What? 2200 BC Iran The King of Babylon creates the first written legal

code. It promises to “make justice reign in the kingdom … and promote the good of the people.”

1300 BC Egypt Jewish leader and prophet, Moses, receives and

preaches the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

600 BC India Buddha preaches morality, reverence for life, non-violence and right conduct.

500BC Greece The ancient Greeks use words for ‘freedom of speech’

(isogoria) and for ‘equality before the law’ (isonomia). 0 Palestine Jesus Christ preaches equality, tolerance,

forgiveness and love among people. 500 Saudi Arabia Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, founder of Islam,

preaches that the one true God, Allah, is compassionate, just and peaceful. His teachings are recorded in the Holy Qu’ran.

1200s England In 1215, King John of England signs the Magna

Carta. It gives rights mainly to feudal barons. It also says that no freeman should be imprisoned or exiled unless the law allows it.

1600s England The English Bill of Rights (1689) protects the rights

of the citizen against the powers of the King. 1700s USA and The American Constitution of 1789 protects freedom

of speech, religion and peaceful gatherings. 1789 France The National Assembly passes the Declaration of the Rights

of Man and the Citizen. It says that: “Men are born free and remain free and equal in rights”.

1865 USA Following the American Civil War, President Abraham

Lincoln abolishes slavery with the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution.

1848 Germany Karl Marx publishes The Communist Manifesto. He

calls for a society where there are no social classes and no private property.

1848 England Emmeline Pankhurst campaigns for women’s right to

vote.

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1893 New Zealand: 1st country in which women secure the right to vote

1900-

1948 France Following World War 1 (1914-1918), the League of Nations to promote peace and cooperation between countries.

1916 Ireland Poblacht na hEireann “…guarantees religious and civil

liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens…”

1918/

1928 Ireland Women gain the right to vote 1923 England Eglantyne Jebb writes the first Declaration of the

Rights of the Child. 1931 Muintir na Tire was established by Father John Hayes from

Limerick. He described it as a movement “for Catholic action and nothing else.”

1937 Ireland Irish constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, passed by

refrendum, establishing Irish Republic. The constitution included a number of rights including freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of worship.

1945+ USA After World War 2 (1939-1945), the United Nations is

created “to reaffirm … the dignity and worth of the human person”.

1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights is accepted by the

UN in 1948. 1966 Co-operatives in Rural Areas: The Save the West

Campaign that emerged as part of the Gaeltacht Civil Rights movement was based on co-operative and self-help principles.

1970+ Community Based Social Services established:

Between 1973 and 1980 the National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty, pioneered new models of community development. During this time a new wave of citizen involvement and community action which involved tenant groups, women’s groups and housing action groups was taking place.

1973 Ireland Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act

repeals the law requiring women to resign their jobs in the civil service or teaching upon marrying

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1973 Ireland Free Civil Legal Aid introduced in Ireland, after the European Commission of Human Rights ruled that Josie Airey was denied her right to a fair trial when she was unable to afford a solicitor.

1970

-80+ Women’s Movement: The Council for the Status of Women was established in 1973, now known as the National Women’s Council of Ireland.The 1980’s brought the widespread emergence of locally based women’s groups and networks, mainly in working class areas.

1979 United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is passed by the UN General Assembly

1983 Community Employment Projects /The Youth

Employment Agency formed.

1986 The establishment of the Combat Poverty Agency Ireland participated in the 2nd European Programme to Combat Poverty and nine projects were funded.

1990 Ireland Mary Robinson elected first women president of the Republic

1990 Establishment of the community development

programme

When EU funding ceased in 1990 the Department of Social Welfare agreed to continue funding the projects. This was the first established state funding for community development activity. Lottery funds were used to provide ongoing funds.

1990 Ireland The bar on marital rape is lifted. 1990+ Partnership Companies in the local development

programme – with specific brief of tackling unemployment and social exclusion on an area basis. The Leader programme was also established around this time to address issues to do with rural disadvantage.

1992 Ireland Contraception becomes widely available without

prescription. 1993 Ireland Mary Harney becomes first female leader of an Irish

political party.

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1993 National Economic and Social Forum formed: to contribute to the formation of a wider national consensus on social and economic policy initiatives, particularly in relation to unemployment, equality and social exclusion.

1995 Ireland Referendum to allow divorce passes, and is signed

into law in June 1996 1996 Community Platform established: set up in 1996 to enable

the community and voluntary sector to participate as a social partner in negotiations at a national level.

1997 Ireland Mary Harney becomes Ireland’s first female Tánaiste 1998 Ireland Good Friday Agreement was signed by British and

Irish governments, and endorsed by voters in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

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Reading List *indicates those publications that are fairly easy reads and to put to use immediately in your work for social change. *Move On’s 50 Ways to Love Your Country; How to Find Your Voice and

Become a Catalyst for Change Inner Ocean Publishing, ISBN 1-930-72229-X *Banners and Dragons The Complete Guide to Creative Campaigning

Dan Jones Published by Amnesty International UK ISBN 1 873328 59 1 AIUK Product Code PB311 *Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Community Workers

Anne Hope and Sally Timmel ITDG Publishing London England ISBN 1 85339 353 3 *Things Can Be Different: The Transformation of Fatima Mansions Peter Dorman CAN Publications, 24 Gardiner Place Dublin 1 Ireland *Organising for Social Change, Midwest Academy Manual for

Activists Seven Locks Press ISBN 0-929-76594-X *Rules for Radicals Saul Alinsky Vintage (re-print 1989) ISBN: 0679721134 *Reveille for Radicals Saul Alinsky Vintage (re-print 1989) ISBN: 0679721126 *Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Paulo Freire Continuum International Publishing Group ISBN-10: 0826412769 ISBN-13: 978-0826412768

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*Soul of a Citizen. Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time

By Paul Rogat Loeb St. Martin’s Press ISBN 0-312-20435-3 *The No Nonsense Guide to Democracy Richard Swift New Internationalist Publications/ Verso Books 2002 ISBN: 1-85984-470-7 (No Nonsense Guides cover a whole range of issues and are available in the Amnesty Freedom Café / Bookshop) The Evolution of International Human Rights, Visions Seen

Paul Gordon Lauren ISBN 0-8122-1854-X Quite a large book but easily read and very informative - focus history and development of HR Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice Jack Donnelly ISBN 0-8014-4013-O Slightly more difficult read - though very informative, covers theory with references to reality Law Society of Ireland, Human Rights Law

Eds., Brid Moriarty, Dr. Anne-Marie Mooney Cotter Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-925552-0 Global Citizenship, A Critical Reader

Eds; Nigel Dower, John Williams Edinburgh University Press ISBN 0-7486-1547-4 Business and Human Rights in a Time of Change Christopher L. Avery 1999 Amnesty International, www.amnesty.org or the author’s website www.business-humanrights.org The Mobilisation of Shame; A World View of Human Rights

Robert F. Drinan, S.J. Yale University Press 2001 ISBN 0-300-08825-6

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Equality: From Theory to Action John Baker, Kathleen Lynch, Sara Cantillon, Judy Walsh Palgrave Macmillan 2004 ISBN: 1-4039-4429-6 Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change Ira Shor The University of Chicago Press 1992 ISBN: 0-226-75357-3

Campaigns: And How to Win Them

Clare Watson, Micheal O'Cadhla, Cristiona Ni Dhurcain, Adi Roche Paperback - 144 pages (30 March, 1997) Wolfhound Press Ltd; ISBN: 0863275540

“You were my light in the darkness of my jail, you

were my hope that pushed me to survive.” Antoinette Chahin,

a 21-year old student from Lebanon who was arrested, tortured and sentenced to death for a murder she had nothing to do with. Amnesty members campaigned for

Antoinette’s release and in 1999 she was acquitted at a re-trial. This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor should it be taken as materials suggested by Amnesty International Irish Section. These are personal suggestions by the workshop facilitator.

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It is

better to light a

candle than to

curse the

darkness

Chinese Proverb